the land, composed of earth, that is, of sand and
clay, of stones and gravel; the earth and stones as arising from the
resolution and separation of the solids in the neighbourhood of the
place; the gravel, again, as having often travelled from more distant
parts.

It would be very improper to adduce any example of a particular, where
the force of the argument lies in the generality alone. It is enough
to have mentioned the facts which are to be examined: Every person of
inquiry and observation will judge for himself how far those facts are
true.

But there is one general remark that may be made on this occasion, where
the operations of the surface are concerned, and which may assist the
investigation of this subject; it is with regard to the gravel or stones
worn by attrition, which may have come from a distance. In proportion as
hard and insoluble stones are near to their natural beds, they will be
found with the sharp angles of their fracture, unless there may have
been a cause of agitation and attrition on the spot; they will also be
in greater quantity, _cet. par._ in this place; whereas the farther they
may have travelled, they will naturally incline to be more rounded, and,
in equal circumstances, will always be more scarce.

We have thus principles by which to judge of every appearance in
relation to the travelled materials of our soil. When, for example, we
find an immense quantity of the hardest stones worn round by attrition,
and collected not far distant from their native place, we cannot suppose
that they have acquired their shape by the attrition in the distance
they have travelled, but in an agitation which they must have received
nearly in the place from whence they came. Such is the gravel in the
chalk country of England. Around London, in all directions, immense
quantities of gravel are round, which consists almost entirely of flint
worn or rounded by attrition; but this is the very centre of the chalk
country, at least of England; and no doubt the same appearances will be
found in France. We must therefore conclude, that the south of England
was under water when that gravel was formed; and that immense quantities
of the chalk above had been destroyed by the agitation of the sea in
preparing such quantities of gravel which still remain upon the land;
besides the immense quantities which must have been dispersed all around
during the operation, as well as carried into the sea by the rivers
since the e